Instrument Rating · Part 61
Instrument Rating Training
Trained in our IFR-equipped Cessna 172N, with a private pilot certificate as the starting point. The whole rating is flown in the aircraft — real approaches in real Sacramento Valley airspace, with real ATC and real weather.
What It Costs
$110an hour of flight education, all in
The same rate as every other programme here, on the ground and in the air, with the instructor already in it. The total depends on how much cross-country PIC time you already hold and how consistently you can fly, so we build the estimate from your logbook — the range below is the school's own planning figure, not a package price.
- $8,000–$12,000
- typical total budget
- ~$175
- knowledge test, paid to the centre
Flying On A Clearance, By Reference To The Instruments
An instrument rating lets you fly in cloud and in weather that would keep a VFR-only pilot on the ground.
- Two kinds of people come to us for it: pilots who want their flying to be useful rather than fair-weather, and pilots building toward a commercial certificate.
- For the commercial, the instrument rating is effectively a prerequisite in practice.
- Most instructors will tell you it is the rating that makes you a genuinely better pilot.
- The precision it demands does not go away when you go back to flying in clear air.
Before you start you need a private pilot certificate, a current medical certificate or the relevant basic eligibility, and cross-country time as pilot in command — which you may already hold, or may build during training.
The aircraft, the scheduling, and what the rating asks of you.
The Aircraft
Our Cessna 172N is IFR-equipped and is where most of the rating is flown; the Cessna 172S adds the Garmin G1000 glass panel for the advanced-avionics work. Neither has an autopilot, so you hand-fly every approach.
Hand-flying the whole rating is harder work than flying it coupled. It also means you finish it able to fly an approach when the automation is not available, which is the situation the rating exists for.
Every Hour Is Flown In The Aircraft
Some schools fly part of the rating in an approved simulator, which is cheaper per hour and lets you repeat an approach ten times in a row. Here the whole rating is flown in the aeroplane, at $110 an hour, all in.
What you get for that is the real thing from the first lesson: Sacramento Valley airspace, live ATC, actual weather, and the workload of flying an approach while the radio is busy. It is the situation the rating exists for, and finishing in it is what makes the rating usable the week after your checkride.
How We Schedule It
Instrument training rewards frequency more than any other rating. Two lessons a week keeps the scan alive; one lesson a fortnight means rebuilding it every time. We fly seven days a week from 7 AM to 7 PM, which makes an early-morning slot before work a realistic pattern.
Once you are training with us you book your own slots in Flight Schedule Pro, or agree a standing weekly slot with your instructor.
Who Teaches It
Denis Vyatkin oversees the instrument rating and the instructor certificates; Sergio teaches instrument and cross-country planning.
What Else You’ll Pay For
Additional costs are paid to other people: the knowledge test at about $175, the examiner’s fee for the checkride, and any course materials you choose.
Do I need a private pilot certificate first?
Yes. You also need a current medical certificate or the relevant basic eligibility, and cross-country time as pilot in command — which you may already hold or may build during training.
Do you train part of the rating in a simulator?
No — every hour is flown in the aircraft, at $110 an hour, all in. You fly real approaches in real Sacramento Valley airspace, with live ATC and actual weather, which is the environment the rating is for.
What will the rating cost in total?
It depends on how much cross-country PIC time you already hold and how consistently you can fly, so the honest estimate comes from your logbook rather than from a package price. Tell us what is in it and we will work a realistic figure through with you on the phone.
How often should I fly?
Twice a week if you can. Instrument training rewards frequency more than any other rating: two lessons a week keeps the scan alive, one lesson a fortnight means rebuilding it every time.
From The Flight Line
The school as it flies — straight from its Instagram.
Tell Us What’s In Your Logbook
Ask About The Instrument Rating
Total time, cross-country PIC, when you last flew — tell us and we will tell you what the rating would realistically take.